Smartshop Products Explained: What Can You Actually Buy?

What Is a Smartshop?

A smartshop is a Dutch retail concept that emerged in Amsterdam in the early 1990s. The name comes from "smart drugs" — substances believed to enhance cognitive function, mood, or consciousness without the legal restrictions attached to hard drugs.

Unlike coffeeshops (which sell cannabis) or headshops (which sell paraphernalia and accessories), smartshops specialise in psychoactive substances and herbal supplements that are legal to sell under Dutch law. The product range spans everything from mild relaxation herbs to potent dissociatives like salvia divinorum.

After the Netherlands banned dried magic mushrooms in 2008, smartshops pivoted to psilocybin truffles (sclerotia), which remained legal due to a loophole in the Opium Act. But truffles and mushrooms are just one corner of the smartshop world — and they have their own dedicated category on this site.

This article focuses on the non-psilocybin side: the ethnobotanical herbs, herbal blends, and legal psychoactives that make smartshops genuinely unique.

For a broader introduction to the concept, see our companion article: What Is a Smartshop? Everything You Need to Know.

Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum)

Kanna is a South African succulent plant with a long history of traditional use among the Khoikhoi and San peoples. Its primary active compound, mesembrine, acts as a natural serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) — meaning it works through a mechanism similar to pharmaceutical antidepressants, but with a faster onset and shorter duration.

What It Does

• Mood elevation — a noticeable lift in well-being, often described as warm and social
• Anxiolytic effects — reduced anxiety without heavy sedation
• Mild euphoria — especially at higher doses or with concentrated extracts
• Enhanced sociability — popular as a social supplement at parties and festivals

Extract Formats

Kanna is available in a remarkable range of formats, from raw dried herb to ultra-concentrated nano-particle extracts:

The difference between these formats is significant. Raw kanna and 10x extract provide a gentle mood lift. ET2 and Nano Extreme deliver an immediate, pronounced euphoric rush. For a full breakdown, see our Best Kanna Extracts comparison guide.

Safety

Kanna interacts with SSRIs, SNRIs, and MAOIs through serotonergic mechanisms. Combining kanna with antidepressant medication risks serotonin syndrome — a potentially dangerous condition. Do not combine kanna with MDMA or other serotonergic substances.

For the full scientific profile, see: Kanna (Sceletium Tortuosum): The Natural Mood Booster You Should Know.

Salvia Divinorum

Salvia divinorum is a member of the sage family native to the cloud forests of Oaxaca, Mexico. It is one of the most potent naturally occurring psychoactive plants in existence — and one of the most misunderstood.

Mechanism of Action

Unlike most psychedelics, salvia does not act on serotonin receptors. Instead, its active compound salvinorin A is a highly selective kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist. This produces effects that are fundamentally different from psilocybin, LSD, or DMT:

• Intense dissociation — a complete departure from normal reality
• Proprioceptive distortions — the feeling of being pulled, stretched, or flattened
• Entity contact — many users report encountering presences or voices
• Short duration — effects peak within 1–2 minutes and resolve within 15–20 minutes (when smoked)

Available Formats

Salvia is legal in the Netherlands but banned in several other European countries. The experience is intense, deeply strange, and not recreational in the conventional sense. A sober trip sitter is strongly recommended, especially with extracts.

Blue Lotus (Nymphaea caerulea)

Blue lotus — more accurately called the blue Egyptian water lily — is an aquatic plant native to East Africa and the Nile region. It was sacred to the ancient Egyptians, appearing in tomb paintings, ritual scenes, and the Book of the Dead.

Active Compounds

Blue lotus contains two primary psychoactive alkaloids:

• Apomorphine — a dopamine receptor agonist that produces mild euphoria and relaxation
• Nuciferine — associated with anxiolytic and antispasmodic effects

Together, these compounds create a gentle, warm experience often compared to a mild cannabis edible — though the mechanism is entirely different.

Effects

• Mild euphoria and mood elevation
• Physical relaxation without heavy sedation
• Enhanced colour perception and sensory awareness
• Aphrodisiac qualities (historically reported)
• Dream enhancement when taken before sleep

How to Use

The most common preparation is tea: steep 5–10 grams of dried flowers in hot (not boiling) water for 15–20 minutes. Blue lotus can also be smoked, vaporised, or infused in wine — the traditional Egyptian method involved steeping the flowers in wine for 1–3 weeks.

For the complete guide including dosage tables, history, and safety information, see: Blue Lotus: Effects, History, and How to Use It.

LSA Seeds: Morning Glory and Hawaiian Baby Woodrose

LSA (d-lysergic acid amide), also known as ergine, is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in the seeds of several plant species. It belongs to the ergoline family — the same chemical class as LSD, though with distinctly different effects.

Two Source Plants

Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds are more practical for psychoactive use because they contain significantly more LSA per seed. Morning Glory seeds require much larger quantities to achieve similar effects.

Effects

• Psychedelic visual distortions (less intense than LSD or psilocybin)
• Euphoria and mood elevation
• Introspective, dream-like mental state
• Physical effects: nausea is common (especially in the first hour), vasoconstriction, drowsiness

Nausea Management

Nausea is the most common complaint with LSA seeds. Strategies include:

• Cold water extraction — soak crushed seeds in cold water for 6–8 hours, strain, and drink the liquid
• Ginger tea — take 30 minutes before consumption
• Empty stomach — avoid eating for 4–6 hours before

LSA seeds are sold as ornamental seeds in the Netherlands and are legal to purchase. The psychoactive use is a grey area legally — possession of the seeds themselves is not prohibited.

Herbal Caps and Blends

One of the most accessible smartshop product categories is herbal capsule blends. These are pre-formulated combinations of natural ingredients designed for specific effects — think of them as "supplements with a purpose" rather than individual herbs.

Azarius produces six distinct herbal cap formulations:

These blends are a good entry point for people who want to explore smartshop products without committing to a single strong substance. Effects are generally milder than dedicated products like kanna extracts or salvia.

Damiana and Aphrodisiac Herbs

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is a shrub native to Central America with a long history of use as an aphrodisiac, mood enhancer, and mild relaxant. The leaves contain flavonoids, caffeic acid derivatives, and terpenoids that together produce a gentle, warming effect.

Traditional Use

Indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America have used damiana for centuries as a tonic for sexual health, stress relief, and general vitality. It was also traditionally smoked as a cannabis substitute in some regions.

Modern Use

Today, damiana is available as:

• Dried leaves — brewed as tea or smoked in herbal blends
• Capsules — standardised extract for convenience
• Tinctures — liquid extract for sublingual use

The effects are subtle: a mild mood lift, gentle relaxation, and a slight increase in physical sensitivity. Damiana is often combined with other herbs in aphrodisiac and relaxation blends — it is one of the key ingredients in Azarius Passion Caps.

For the full profile, see our deep-dive article on damiana effects.

Dream Herbs

A niche but fascinating corner of the smartshop world is dream herbs — plants traditionally used by African and South American cultures to enhance dreaming, promote lucid dreams, or facilitate prophetic visions during sleep.

African Dream Seeds (Entada rheedii)

Used by South African tribes, these large seeds are traditionally placed under the pillow or brewed into a ceremonial tea. They are believed to promote vivid, meaningful dreams and are associated with ancestral communication in Zulu tradition.

Uvuma-Omhlophe Root (Synaptolepis kirkii)

A traditional Zulu dream herb used by sangomas (traditional healers) to promote prophetic and lucid dreaming. Typically brewed as a tea and consumed before sleep.

Both of these products overlap with our Lucid Dreaming Supplements article in the Sleep cluster. If you are specifically interested in enhancing dream recall and lucidity, that guide covers the full evidence base including galantamine, vitamin B6, and other approaches.

Mescaline Cacti Seeds

Smartshops sell seeds for two mescaline-containing cacti as ornamental collector items:

• Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) — the small, slow-growing cactus central to Native American ceremonial traditions. Growing from seed is legal; possessing mescaline extract is not.
• San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) — a fast-growing columnar cactus from the Andes with deep shamanic roots. More practical to grow than peyote.

These are sold strictly as ornamental seeds. The cacti themselves take years to mature — peyote grows notoriously slowly. We cover these in detail in our San Pedro and Peyote guide.

Other Seeds

Smartshops also stock several other ethnobotanical seeds:

All are sold as ornamental or collector seeds in the Netherlands.

Safety Essentials

Every smartshop product deserves respect. Even "mild" herbs can cause problems when combined with medication or used irresponsibly.

Golden Rules

1. Research before you try — read the full article on any substance before using it
2. Start with the lowest effective dose — you can always take more, never less
3. Check drug interactions — especially SSRIs, MAOIs, and heart medication
4. Never combine multiple psychoactive substances without thorough research
5. Have a trip sitter for anything with strong psychoactive effects (salvia, high-dose LSA)
6. Keep a trip stopper accessible — Azarius sells a dedicated trip stopper product containing maltodextrin and valerian

Key Interaction Warnings

For a comprehensive safety resource, see our Smartshop Safety Guide.

Buying Guide: Online vs Physical Smartshops

You can buy smartshop products from physical stores in Dutch cities or order online from established vendors. Each approach has advantages.

Physical Smartshops

Advantages: Staff advice, see products before buying, immediate purchase, curated selection. Drawbacks: Limited to store hours, tourist-area markup, smaller selection than online.

Best for: First-time visitors who want guidance and want to explore products in person. See our Amsterdam Smartshop Guide for recommended stores.

Online Smartshops

Advantages: Full product range, detailed descriptions, user reviews, competitive pricing, discreet shipping. Drawbacks: No staff advice, shipping wait, age verification varies.

Vendor Comparison

For the full legal landscape, see: Legal Highs in the Netherlands.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular smartshop product?

Magic truffles remain the best-selling smartshop product by volume, but among non-psilocybin products, kanna has grown rapidly in popularity. Its mood-elevating effects, fast onset, and range of extract formats make it the most versatile ethnobotanical product in the smartshop category.

Are smartshop products legal outside the Netherlands?

Legality varies significantly by country and specific substance. Kanna and blue lotus are legal in most of Europe. Salvia divinorum is banned in several countries including Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Australia. LSA seeds occupy a grey area — the seeds themselves are usually legal as ornamental items, but psychoactive use may not be. Always check your local laws.

Can I fly with smartshop products?

Generally, do not travel internationally with smartshop products. What is legal in the Netherlands may be prohibited elsewhere. Even within the EU, customs enforcement varies. If you purchase products in Amsterdam, use them during your trip or ship them to a Dutch address.

What smartshop product is best for beginners?

For a first experience, herbal capsule blends (Euphoric Caps or Relax Caps) or a mild kanna preparation (raw herb as tea) are the gentlest starting points. These produce noticeable but manageable effects without the intensity of substances like salvia or high-dose LSA seeds.

How do I know if a smartshop product is safe?

Buy from established vendors with a track record (Azarius, Zamnesia, EUKratom). Look for lab testing, clear ingredient lists, and dosage instructions. Avoid products with vague labelling or no ingredient transparency. And always check for interactions with any medication you take.

Do smartshop products show up on drug tests?

Standard workplace drug panels (5-panel or 10-panel tests) do not screen for kanna, blue lotus, damiana, or most herbal smartshop products. However, some substances may trigger false positives in rare cases — apomorphine in blue lotus has a structural similarity to certain tested compounds. Psilocybin (from truffles) can be detected on specialised panels but is not included in standard tests.

Where to Buy Smartshop Products

Affiliate disclosure: Smart Supplements earns a commission on purchases made through partner links. This doesn't affect our editorial content or recommendations.

The vendors below are established European smartshops with years of operation, transparent sourcing, and active customer communities.

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This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, especially if you take prescription medication.